Monday 3rd & Tuesday 4th July, 2006.

Cannot believe it! Just finished writing by final journal entry and the blasted thing disappeared before I had a chance to save it!!!! Well it's late and I'm tired so I'm off to bed in a sulk and will try again another day, hopefully tomorrow.

Naturally we had to finish with a food photo. Fish & Chips chez Tid & Andy. Delicious :)

Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd July, 2006

Saturday was a beautiful day. Genelle had a couple of errands to run so I tagged along and got a guided tour of downtown Sydney from the car. Then we made a stop at a shop called Ecohome run by my old friends from Johor Bahru, the Hills.

Here's Genelle & Cinamon browsing while Graham looks on.

Later we met up with the Hills en masse at Darling Harbour for a drink but like a complete dope I forgot to take a photo :(
Sunday, not quite so sunny but nonetheless a lovely day. Off we set on foot for the ferry terminal at Birch Grove, just 5 minutes from Genelle's home in Balmain. Brilliant way to travel into the city, our destination was, of course, Sydney Opera House.


The obligatory photo in front of the Opera House. Believe I'm saying "Well, there it is!"

And let's not forget the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Here's not such a commonly seen photo taken by the Opera House with the Botanic Garden in the background.

Went for a lovely walk through the garden and particularly enjoyed the settlers garden ref the info about the early settlers and their disasterous attempts at farming. How much easier things would have been if they'd have asked the aborigines!


We found a poor little Possum in the garden. Lost it's Mummy and a hurt back leg, the park rangers had to be called.

Then Genelle went bats! :)

Having spent a very enjoyable couple of ours at the Art Gallery we then met a neighbour of Genelle's for lunch at Wooloorooloo.


Here's Genelle & Margaret just before we attacked a very welcome late lunch.

Tuesday 27th to Thursday 29th June, 2006.

Here I am sitting FREEZING in Sydney. Actually it was a beautiful day and lovely in the sunshine but now the sun has gone and I'm chilled to the bone. Don't think it's that cold, I'm just a whimp. Completely lost Wednesday going from east to west across the time line. Feel a bit miffed actually as I have so little of my lovely holiday left.

Am off to sleep the sleep of the dead after that bottom numbing journey from Toronto, will get the camera out tomorrow and see what I can find. TTFN :)

Sunday 25th to Tuesday 27th June, 2006

On Sunday Holly returned from her trip to Ireland, I'm so glad I stayed so that I could see her. We all sat up much too late considering Holly & Katherine both had work on Monday.

Monday evening we spent doing our favouite things, i.e. eating (delicious pizza), drinking & talking. However all good things come to an end and Tuesday I'm Sydney bound.

Would you believe we almost fogot to take photos??? Here's Holly, Maggie, Jared & Katherine.

Actually Jared had gone to bed to leave us girls to it so we had to get him up again to take and be in photos!

A final bye bye to Katherine :( Don't know what she's looking so happy about considering she doesn't know when she's going to she me again? Surely a terrible blow to anyone???

Monday 19th to Saturday 24th June, 2006

So excited to arrive in Toronto and see Katherine waiting for me that completely forgot to get out the camera for the first two days, sorry. Monday was for catching up not only with all Katherines news but recontecting with an old friend from the Maldives, Sanjay. Great fun. Tuesday was for exploring The Danforth, a wonderful area of Toronto with a Greek flavour. Then a super evening at Sanjay's house with the most wonderful Indian meal (can't believe I forgot to take a photo of that spread!!) and more catching up. This time Sanjay's children joined us and a good time was had by all.
Wednesday I actually did some work (?!) but it was then time to meet all Katherine's friends for a night out.

Parked near The Needley Thing so thought I'd photograph it coming out of Katherine's head.

Starting from the left: Amanda, Linda, Christa, Julie, Katherine & Deb

Finally someone other than me pigging out :)

Thursday we walked around downtown then hit the shops before collapsing in a handy cocktail bar. We will be serving Mohitos at Sea Gypsy as soon as I get back!

The Needley thing and The Gargoyles, plus obligatory flags.

Look Richard & Jade, this is a Mr. Whippy, remember me telling you about the ice cream vans that used to come around the streets selling the yummiest whippy ice creams? I'm only holding Katherine's while she takes the photo, honest!

Friday Sanjay came to take me out to lunch

This is taken on the steps of Holly & Jared's house where I've been staying...

...and this is Maggie, with Katherine, Holly's "baby" that we've been walking while she's away. Lots of lovely parks locally to walk in, i really love this area around The Danforth.

Friday evening we drove to Katherine's parents for dinner.
Me with Tony, K's father

and K with her mother, Karen.

That girl is such a piggy, can't imagine who she reminds me of???

Saturday so it must be golf, well for Katherine and Jared (different venues), I just flopped about and pretended to think about doing some work but managed to avoid it. Did however get attacked by a delicious mango cake as i happened to be passing the fridge :)

Jared looking like the professional golfer whilst K worries if her hair is right for golfing?

Wednesday 14th June to Monday 19th June

Sunday 18th June, 2006.
Off to Lake George to see Sylvia & Fred's new house. Fred has (is still in the process of) built this beautiful home virtually single handed. Wonder if Aziz could do the same for me???




Thought if I gave Fred a good cuddle he might come to Johor and build me one :) Otherwise just have to spend lots of time at Lake George, just in summer though...

The Golden Girls looking gorgeous as usual.

Had an early dinner at a wonderful restaurant called the Docksider on Glen Lake. Can heartily recommend it.

Sylv & Fred with Chris the owner of the Docksider.

Now that's the fattest cat I've ever seen! Just about what's going to happen to me if I keep on eating my way round the world!!

Sylv tells me we have to kiss the moose at the Docksider, can't remember why??

Sat 17th June, 2006.

Ted goes out to party with his American cousins, plus of course Sylvia & Fred's "babies" (our Henry's cousins).

Friday 16th June, 2006.
Sylvia & Fred whip up a delicious turkey dinner.

In the UK it must be beef, in the US it must be turkey!

Here we go again....

Thursday 15th June, 2006.
An intersting day as we missed our flight to Albany. Those that know me will think this was entirely my fault as i am notoriously "last minute" about everything but you'd be wrong, there was an accident on the freeway. Strangely enough Ma and I had a lovely day and enjoyed the adventure, finally arriving at 9.30p.m., better late than never!

The Bean enjoys the delights of Philadelphia Airport, a place we were not expecting to visit!?

Wednesday 14th June, 2006.
Everything to ship packed and gone, garage sale successful & everything else to the Sally Ann it was time for a few last farewells.
Mum & Auntie's favourite supermarket, couldn't resist one last visit for a bottle of champagne. Had to say a proper farewell to PG & Burnt Store.

This one is especially for Richard & Jade - yes, it's Juicy Lucy. It was as ever YUMMY!

One last photo of Ma's house on Summerfest. It's been a lovely home and we will miss it but a new adventure awaits.

Olive & Mitt drop by to say goodbye, and collect that 12 place dinner service Olive cannot resist (sorry Mitt).

Ma says a say farewell to her "baby" (personally I still miss Crystal).

Sunday 11th to Tuesday 13th June 2006

Tuesday's here and the house is still standing so it's time to pack. Heartily recommend Robert Flinn Moving & Storage (well, unless it doesn't arrive in Malaysia, I'll keep you posted! :) so thank you for finding them Suzi.
Evan & L.C., two of the most charming and jolly packers you could wish to meet.

On Monday we wondered if the rain would ever stop when Ma's friend Stacy said we should try listening to the news, Hurricane Alberto was on it's way and headed straight for us. We wondered whether there would be anything left to pack & ship by Tuesday??
Teddy found some new friends in Punta Gorda to party with. Not much else to do but hit the Milky Way spread on such a rainy day. Well, except for heading to Walmarts and finding brilliant bargains....lucky Ma gave me another suit case!

On Sunday a last visit to Fisherman's Village was a must. The shops have changed a little since Hurricane Charlie but it's basically the same and still full of wonderful holiday souvenirs (watch out for your next parcels Richard & Jade!)
Beany looking wind swept & interesting just before the rain started.